Dear Mr. Scudder: -
I think I may as
well frankly state my
present feeling that I
shall not be able to
complete a good book
this year, - partly because
I am called to fill
a professor's chair at
Tokyo, and partly because
of the conviction that
I have been working
too fast.  I hope
to send you some articles
before the winter; but





I want the next book to be
very good, - and, if I can
manage it, not so heavy
as "Kokoro." -  I am going
to send you corrected copy
of the papers printed in
the Atlantic, - except
that on China & the
Western World, which
now strikes me as not
up to the mark.  If you
attach much importance
to it for book-form I
might try to rewrite it
later on;  but I can
consider it in its present






form only as a hurried
contribution to the subject
of the hour.
In regard to
the other undertaking I
shall probably work at
it considerably during
the year.  I have a
paper on "Composites"
nearly ready, and
others on the stacks.
Very truly yours
Lafcadio Learn
Aug. 25th '96